Defrocking the House

Today, Koko Bean helped me "defrock" the house. I also was able to organize her very messy playroom. Christmas always puts me in frantic mode. I go nuts in disorganized fashion, so the minute I have, well, a minute, I am organizing, dusting and cleaning everything!

Koko Bean didn't understand why we had to put aways all our red and green decor. She begged me not to put away her little blue Christmas tree, so I left it out for a few more hours.

We are gearing up for my other favorite holiday - Koko Bean's birthday!! I can't wait to decorate for her birthday. This year, it's at our new house. I am just hoping we get our new dining room table before the party!! We have much to look forward to this coming year. It's hard to believe this little girl was just seven days short of making her appearance, three years ago today. Until then, here is a refresher of what my baby looked like just nine days after she was born.

It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't.

~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

An early birthday present

This evening, we took Koko Bean out to NFM to pick out a new dining set for Mommy and a birthday present for Koko Bean. She picked a shiny new white Wii, and a bright pink controller to go with it. I think Mommy and Daddy have had more fun with it this evening than Koko Bean, but her excitement is contagious. Mommy is terrible at the Wii and Daddy thinks it's hilarious. It's all good family fun. I had actually contemplated getting her a game console. Was she too young? Probably. However, the fun to be had by the whole family is limitless. This is a better way to spend our evenings besides plopping her in front of a TV, Daddy playing his Xbox and Mommy cleaning up after everyone. See for youself. This was a wise purchase. Happy early birthday Koko Bean.

December 28th- Happy Birthday Chloe Belle

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."

-Billings



Chloe Belle was born December 28, 2005. She is a feisty rat terrier with two large black spots on her back. Her breeder nicknamed her Domino when she was born. When I first found out about the birth of Chloe, her brother and her sister, I HAD to have one. I had originally wanted the runt, Chloe's sister, whom they had named Beetle. But when Frankie, my associate at Wal-Mart, brought both girls in my office one late night, Chloe stole my heart. She walked in, wagged her tail, then took a huge dump on my office floor. Yeah, I wanted THAT one.

As a puppy, Chloe was not exactly an angel. Not once, but twice, she got up on Daddy and peed on him. Once, she peed on his chest, and once she peed on his HEAD!

One thing is for sure, Chloe does her own thing when she wants. She once got lost in Grammy's hometown. She was gone for a week and I was sure I lost her forever. Much to Daddy's chagrin, a nice man found her. Grammy had put Chloe's picture and information on the local television station. He had seen the ad and we were reunited with our little Chloe Belle. I know she just ran off for the publicity. She's funny like that.

Chloe and Koko Bean get along like peanut butter and jelly. Koko Bean loves her Chloe Belle and Chloe Belle tolerates Koko Bean. Now, Chloe has a new little brother to pester her as she used to pester her big brother Reese. She tolerates him as well.

One thing is for sure, Chloe Belle loves her mommy. She sleeps with me every night, follows me throughout the house and is even perched next to me as I type this blog. She's my loyal companion and I can't believe she's alreay six. In my family, dogs are like family. They are treated like individuals, like they have their own thoughts and personality. We even speak for them, using voices we think they may have if they were humans.

Chloe Belle is my fury little princess and we couldn't imagine our lives without her... Well, maybe Daddy could.

Happy 6th Birthday Chloe Belle! Momma and Koko Bean love you!

"No animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog."

-Stanley Leinwoll



Two days after Christmas- The birth of a niece, cousin, and friend

December 27th, 2009 was a day we'll never forget. Actually, I will never forget the day K2's mommy texted me to let me know she was having a baby. It was a beautiful May day and I was at the salon getting my hair done. After receiving the text, I started crying. My hairdresser was concerned, but I told her they were happy tears. I was going to be a great aunt and Koko Bean was going to have a baby cousin!!

This little girl has entertained us the last two years with her squeals of laughter, her own language and an occasional expletive. I've never seen a kid that age use the term, "oh shit" correctly, but when she drops something, she will sure drop your jaw with her exclamation!

Koko Bean has enjoyed having K2 up here where we live. The two have become best friends. Koko Bean even told Grammy the other day that K2 was her sister. They might as well be. They fight like sisters, but get over it pretty quickly.

K2 loves her aunt S, and that makes me very happy. When she comes over to play, she often attaches herself to my hip and we hang out- just us. She talks to me and even though I can't understand her, I know there is a meaning behind her gibberish. She even throws up the deuces when it's time to go bye bye. She's one of the coolest kids I know.

Thank you K2 for bringing joy to our lives. We love you very much. Happy 2nd Birthday!

Love,

Koko Bean, Aunt S and Uncle S

The Day after Christmas- A Birthday for K2

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one."

- Dr Seuss Quotes

Today, a day early, we celebrated Miss K2's 2nd birthday. Her mother and I had the same due dates a year apart- January 9, 2009 and January 9, 2010. Our girls refused to wait that long. K2 was born December 27, 2009. So, for ten whole days, K1 and K2 will be the same age.

K2 had a Tangled theme birthday party, complete with Rapunzel cups as party favors, except for their male companion, K3. He got a Toy Story cup. Four little sets of feet pitter pattered throughout the house for hours, as three moms conversed in kitchen, and the three daddies played FIFA on the XBox downstairs. It was the perfect celebration for this little girl who arrived in this world two years ago. I don't know what Koko Bean would do without her cousin, whom she calls her sister. We love you K2. You are a beautiful soul. Happy Birthday!!

Christmas Day- He is born.

"It is He, Christ who is born today, Hear him crying In the manger, King of Heaven, Son of God, Alleluia, Alleluia"

Those lyrics, from The Carpenters' Family Christmas, are some of my favorite of all time. This morning brought the light of the sun, and the Sounds of celebration. As Grammy and I were getting ready early, I heard something through my bathroom window. Thank goodness Grammy is menopausal and had to open the window. Otherwise, we wouldn't have heard it. The sound kept getting louder and louder, and I stopped painting my face to listen. The most beautiful music was playing from what seemed like every church in my neighborhood!! I hurried to the other bathroom and got Grammy. We both stood by the bathroom window and listened. It was a Gift to our ears. As I listened, I looked at the pictures I have perched up on my bathroom window sill, along with a wooden "Smile" sign. On my vanity sits another picture. These pictures are of three of my guardian angels, my Uncle Eric (Grammy's baby brother,) my best friend from college, and my other best friend from middle school. I wept with tears of joy but also tears of sadness. It's our fourth Christmas without Uncle Eric and Amanda's family's first Christmas without her. Grammy said they are the ones who arranged our little musical enjoyement this morning. I smiled, knowing they were there.

After getting ready, Grammy and I started our Christmas lunch. This was the first year for us to host Christmas and I wanted it to be perfect. The perfection included homeade mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, and well that's about I can offer for homeade gourmet, unless it involves protein powder and oatmeal. Therefore, we had Fritz's BBQ smoke a turkey, Grammy and Grandpa brought a ham, stuffing came from a box and the pies were from the frozen section at Hyvee. Trust me, no one wants my homeade stuff. Promise.

We had just finished prepping the mashed potatoes when we heard Koko Bean rustling around downstairs, where she had been sleeping. I went down and got her, took her potty, then after waiting forever for Daddy to primp, we turned her loose to see what Santa brought her.

She loved everything Santa brought her.

Uncle Paul got some great stuff from Santa too!

But Great Grandpa got the best gift- some Beef Eater's Gin. :)

After checking out all the loot Santa brought, we opened presents.

I'm pretty sure we opened presents for a solid two hours. Koko Bean was too distracted by her new racetrack to finish the rest of hers, so I had to finish them for her.

At noon, more guests arrived. Cousin K2 and her parents, J and T came over for our Christmas lunch.

The best part about us hosting  Christmas, was that I got to say grace before our meal. I was a bit nervous, but it turned out great if I do say so myself. As we all held hands around our small island in the kitchen, I thanked God for all the blessings He's bestowed upon us. I prayed for those we missed this Christmas and for Him to fill the void in our hearts with His everlasting love. That's what this day is all about to me. A King was born to save our souls from our sins. What better Gift can be given?
The other part about this Christmas that I was most thrilled about, was that Great Grandpa was here. It had been thirty years since I got to spend Christmas with this most wonderful man. He is the patriarch of my family, my dad's dad. I am truly grateful he has been a part of our lives and that Koko Bean gets to know him. Not many kids get to know their great grandparents.

To finish the first of our new Christmas traditions, Daddy, Koko Bean, and I drove out to Raytown to enjoy Christmas in the Park. Koko Bean was thrilled to sit on my lap as we drove through the magical display of lights. I took all the pictures on my phone because I forgot to bring my camera. Go figure. However, it was one of the coolest diplays I've ever seen.

(Here's a teaser. You must go see for yourself at Christmas in the Park.)

In closing, I don't think this Christmas could have been any more special. Here's hoping for more to come just like it. I have been truly blessed this year.

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"

- Linus Van Pelt (from a Charlie Brown Christmas)

Christmas Eve Fun

Just a little taste of our first Christmas Eve in our house and our first official Christmas in Kansas City.

Project Gingerbread House

To make this Christmas season in our new house special, we attempted "Project Gingerbread House."
Here were the results of said project:

At least the snowman survived. :)
Merry Christmas Eve!!

Priorities and Pancakes



“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family”- Anthony Brandt

Each morning at our house is quite hectic, especially on work days. This morning was especially crazy as Koko Bean decided to wake up at 4:30, hungry, thirsty and drenched in pee. Daddy still isn't allowed to pick her up, so I changed Koko Bean's nighttime britches, made her a protein shake and fixed her a bowl of "Daddy's cereal." As I reclined in the chair, half asleep, Koko Bean devoured the cereal and watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Thank God Mommy records is every Saturday. It's Koko Bean's go-to cartoon for contentment.

I worked from ten this morning until eight this evening, so Daddy took Koko Bean to daycare and retrieved her. When I finally got home at 8:45pm, Daddy told Koko Bean to ask if we could go get Christmas pancakes at IHOP. Even though I was super exhausted and wasn't even hungry, I gave in, so off to IHOP it was in our house shoes.

We each ordered a special plate. Koko Bean got one buttermilk pancake,and Daddy got eggs, hash browns, and pumpkin pancakes. And apparently I was more hungry than I thought, or just the pictures on the menu enticed me, so I ordered eggs, ham, hash browns and the white chocolate chip mint pancakes. I must say, after trying all three of ours, I was pleasantly surprised I picked the right pancakes for my taste. YUM!

As we waited for our food, Koko Bean stacked and counted the coffee creamers, as Daddy and I checked over our month's numbers from work. After a few minutes of work talk, we turned our undivided attention to our little girl, who had stacked the creamers in a perfect pyramid. I asked her what she did at daycare today and what they ate. Her response as always is, "Um...I play with Aura. We had frice (rice) and chicken for lunch." Even though I know the answer to the question every time I ask, I ask her anyway. I love hearing that little voice, and I want her to tell me everything.

It's nights like these that are the littlest gestures of how close our family is. Koko Bean's Daddy and I work very hard to give her a life we hope she'll appreciate later. All we want is to make her a happy, well- rounded  individual. Work takes a lot out of both of us, both mentally and physically, but it's important that we keep a balance between work and home. This evening was a perfect ending to a extraordinarily long day. I'm glad I got the chance to spend it with my extraordinary family.